In response to escalating tensions with Russia, Germany‘s Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, is advocating for reinstating compulsory military service for 18-year-olds. Originally discontinued in 2011, the proposed initiative comes as the German military faces a 21,000-soldier shortfall needed to fulfill NATO defense plans.
Pistorius could reveal the chosen approach, currently under final discussion, next month. A trio of possible plans have been unveiled via leaked documentation obtained by German newspaper Die Welt. The first incorporates compulsory military service for both male and female citizens after their 18th birthday. The second requires suitable male recruits to fill out applications and undergo testing, with voluntary participation for women. The final proposal presents optional recruitment forms to all school leavers, an option deemed “least promising” by officials.
Pistorius remains adamant about reinstating some form of conscription, labeling the past suspension as a “mistake.” The opposition party, the CDU, surprisingly supports Pistorius’s stance, even though conscription was halted under its watch during Angela Merkel’s time as chancellor.
While Chancellor Olaf Scholz affirms that Germany will not return to a 400,000-strong conscripted army, he has not ruled out more modest-size compulsory service. Funding for implementing conscription is yet to be established by the federal government. Pistorius’s recent appeal during a U.S. trip calling for more lenient national debt regulations to support the scheme may spark internal government disagreements.
European nations are on high alert following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s declaration of nuclear forces readiness for a potential global war. NATO has adopted an increasingly belligerent stance against Russia as it continues to achieve success on the Ukrainian battlefield. Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron hinted at the eventuality of deploying NATO troops to Ukraine to fight Russian forces.
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